Election fever is hotting up in Juba

Thousands turned up to support the Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Deputy Chairperson, James Wani Igga who is contesting for Juba North constituency in the Government of Southern Sudan in next month's elections.  The campaign started with supporters, taxi drivers and motor cycle riders known as 'Bada-Bada' marching around Juba town, putting businesses to a stand still. Traditional dances also coloured the occasion.

Tradiitonal dancers celebrating the start of Wani Igga's election campaign for Juba North

Wani Igga’s campaign comes four days after the SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir launched his Presidential campaign.  The political atmosphere and excitement is rising in Southern Sudan with candidates from different political parties launching their campaigns all this week.  

Top on Wani Igga’s election manifesto is poverty eradication, food security and war against corruption. He called on SPLM supporters to vote for Yasir Arman for the President of the Republic and Salva Kiir for the President of Southern Sudan. “We choose Yasir because of our vision of the New Sudan and Salva Kiir because he is the man of the people. He has the ability, wisdom and charisma.” he declared. “You have to elect people who will take you to the referendum” he told supporters. He underscored his party’s achievement in the last four years since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.

Igga told the women present at the election rally, “I’m one of those who stood firm on women’s rights that is why you are given the 25% share in the government”  And to the youth, his message was "I know your suffering” but he told university graduates to be self employed because the government can not accommodate them all.  “Now you can travel to Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, who opened the roads for you?  Was it not the SPLM?", he asked supporters. “I want to be elected because I stand for children and women, youth and elderly.  When we came in 2005, only four hundred thousand children enrolled in schools, now there are one million three hundred thousand children in schools"

Igga said his prescence brought unity into the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly. Wani Igga’s popularity in Juba and Southern Sudan goes back to the days of the civil war when he was one of the top commanders of the SPLA. He is optimistic that he will pass with a majority of votes from his constituency and called on his rivals to surrender.